Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Tuesday expressed
optimism that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not wage war with
the government again despite clash of ideas on how to achieve peace in Mindanao .
”I’m confident that despite whatever differences that we
have, I believe it will not lead to secessionism. The MILF will not go to war.
They want peace,” Marcos told the students of the University of Perpetual
Help
Marcos also believed that the present MILF leadership will
eventually accept his substitute bill, the Basic Law on the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region.
”In my dealings with the MILF, we’re talking about
substitute bill, I truly believe that whatever objection that they may have,
the bill will explained well to them,” Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee
on local government, said.
”They don’t want to continue fighting. They want the lives
that are normal and within the mainstream of the Philippine society,” he added.
Marcos described the MILF as the government’s real partner
in achieving peace in Mindanao .
”The MILF and even the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front)
are desirous for peace. However, I cannot say with other groups such as private
armed groups and Abu Sayyaf Group which rejected all forms of peace with
government,” he said.
To make sure that war will not happen again in Mindanao,
Marcos is contemplating on inserting an amendment to his substitute bill that
will strengthen the power and function of the international decommission body
(IDB) to inspect the loose firearms.
Marcos will also push an amendment that provides for the
demolition of the firearms that will undergo the decommissioning process.
”Right now, the surrendered firearms will be put to a store
house. My proposal is not only to store. We will use the language, it will be
put beyond use. In other words, let’s destroy them so that these will not be
used again,” Marcos said.
”We should go to basic principle that if there is no arm,
there is no war,” he added.
In front of the more than 5,000 students, Marcos said his
substitute bill is constitutional as compared to the version of the BBL draft
submitted by the Malacanang.
”Based on our public hearings and consultations with the
country’s top legal experts, the original draft of the BBL is really
unconstitutional. So we better approve a version which is constitutional to
make sure it will hurdle even the Supreme Court,” Marcos said.
Last Monday, the Senate started its plenary debates on the
Basic Law on BAR.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=796961
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